The invention relates to a clip for detachably attaching, for example, a center cluster as a member to be attached to an instrument panel of an automobile as an attaching member.
As the clip described above, for example, Japanese Patent Publications (TOKKAI) No.10-54411 and No.2000-249117 disclose a clip attached to an attaching member for detachably attaching a member to be attached to the attaching member.
The clip disclosed in Japanese Patent Publications (TOKKAI) No.10-54411 and No.2000-249117 includes a pair of engaging members projecting with an inclination so that a space therebetween is gradually narrowed from an insertion terminating end side to an insertion start end side of a rib of a member to be attached, that is, toward the counter-insertion direction (an extracting direction) of the rib. Thus, the engaging portions of the engaging members are engaged with the engagement portion of the rib.
As described above, in the conventional clip, the pair of the engaging members is provided so that the space therebetween becomes narrow toward the extracting direction of the rib of the member to be attached. Thus, when a force for removing from the instrument panel (an attaching member) is applied to a center cluster (a member to be attached), the center cluster is easily detached from the clip, i.e. an instrument panel, because a holding force of the clip is weak.
Also, in a case that the clip together with the center cluster is removed from the instrument panel, since the center cluster is easily removed from the clip, the clip remains in the instrument panel. Since the clip has a small gripping portion, it is hard to remove the clip from the center cluster.
In view of the above problems, the present invention has been made and an object of the invention is to provide a clip, wherein a holding force is strengthened so that a member to be attached is hard to be removed from an attaching member and, at the same time, the member to be attached is removed from the attaching member together with the clip when the member to be attached is removed from the attaching member.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
A clip according to the present invention is detachably attached to an attaching member, and detachably attaches a member to be attached to the attaching member. The clip includes a pair of engaging members projecting with an inclination so that a space therebetween gradually is narrowed toward an insertion direction of a rib of the member to be attached, and engaging portions of the engaging members are engaged with an engagement portion of the inserted rib of the member to be attached. The clip also includes clipping members for clipping a leading end portion of the inserted rib.
It is preferable that the pair of the engaging members is positioned at an insertion start end of the rib and the engagement portion is an engagement hole, with which the engaging portions of the pair of the engaging members are engaged.